You want to know my opinion? You want to know how I feel about my people, people of color, United States Citizens, being shot and killed humiliated on body cameras and cellphones to expose police brutality?
I’m Afraid.
In the last week we have experienced nothing more than the exploitation of police brutality against the colored community. The #BlackLivesMatter movement earns more hashtags just days after America celebrates its independence from Great Britain.
July 5: Alton Sterling was pinned and gunned down in front of a convenient store in Baton Rouge Louisiana, unarmed as he was trying to sell CD’s (which he was given permission to do so by the storeowner) to take care of his family.
July 6: I watched Philando Castille become another hashtag after getting shot 4 times in the driver seat of his vehicle as his girlfriend and daughter sat in the car with him on a live Facebook post . He was just trying to get his ID out of his back pocket, also warning the officer that he had a concealed weapon which he was licensed to have.
The hashtags are building and building and the Black community is screaming black lives matter, however we have the ones that are screaming “But… All Lives Matter!”
Of course they do.
If you do not understand why we are exclaiming Black Lives Matter, then you are a part of the problem. These men that were gunned down in the past 72 hours were not just black men.
They were fathers.
They were role models in their community.
They had futures.
The list builds and builds and now we’re screaming "Latino Lives Matter", "Dylan Noble", and "Anthony Nunez". The colored community is suffering tremendously. I have no doubt that it has the potential to get worse.
These were innocent Blacks and Hispanics that were killed. My people are angry and they have every right to. However, preaching that violence is not the answer is not going to get through my generations head. We need to be fighting for justice for our fallen brothers and sisters but matters are taking a different course. My generation wants revenge. I’ve never prayed so hard for humanity in my life.
I have a Father, brothers, a sister, cousins, uncles, and friends of different shades and hues. Lord knows what I would do if I were to lose any of them in this dark hour. I shouldn’t have to worry about any of them not coming home because a coward cop doesn’t want to follow procedure they were taught in training, or simply because they were racist and wanted to act in favor of their quota.
I will not lay down and let that explanation for slaying an innocent man justify their actions. I refuse to believe you thought Philando’s ID was a gun, I refuse to believe you shot this child because you were afraid of his water gun. I refuse to believe you took that Hispanics life because he ‘hated his fucking life anyway.’ We are tired.
Yet while some of us are angry and tired, we all do not want to have to result in violence to get our point across. Some of us still believe in love.
“Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding darkness to a night already devoid of stars…. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Martin Luther King Jr.
Black people think killing these cops for killing our men will get revenge, but it just adds more casualties. It would be a never ending cycle of killing. It will continue to spiral, cause bloodshed, and devastate until we just wipe ourselves out. We are better than this violence. We can fight with our minds. We don’t need our fists.
To my white friends: it’s not your fault you’re ignorant. It’s not your fault you don’t know how to handle a situation like this, so you just turn the other way, or just sit in silence. Do not be discouraged or let someone call you a hypocrite because you’re not speaking up about the wrong that is happening to your colored friends.
You don’t know how.
WE are responsible for educating you, we are responsible for showing you and telling you what it is like to be a minority in America. And personally, I don’t expect you to climb the tallest mountain and shout BLACK LIVES MATTER! I just want you to have my back when the time comes.
I’ve seen the work of Odyssey protesting Black Lives Matter on their SnapChat platform and I commend you all for your hard work in t,he past two days.
I’ve seen Israeli men, women and children protest in Jerusalem the other day, laying in the roads blocking traffic to show their support for black lives.
Thank you.
Most importantly, when you feel you have done all you can to speak out and take action (peacefully) What you must do is pray.
There is still power in prayer.
So Brevard Chapter, you know how I feel, what should be done.
Pray for your classmate
Your Teammate
Your Roommate or even after everything you all have been through, best friend.
Pray Brevard College, for the safety of your fellow Tornados.
